Hanford Insider

Welcome the Hanford Insider, I’m your host Rob Bentley. I’m a lifelong resident of Hanford and I’m very involved in the local history scene and podcasting so I decided to start this show as a resource to Hanford area residents for covering issues, promoting events, sports, and reflecting on some local history. Tune in each Monday for a new episode. Please help me get the word out about the show by sharing on social media, or telling a friend. For more information about the show, you can find me on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, X, or Threads at @Hanford Insider. If you have a show idea, be sure to email me hanfordinsider@gmail.com If you are part of an organization that needs help getting the word out to the community, let’s work together.

Hanford Insider is a news podcast hosted by Rob Bentley, with 172 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Rob Bentley hosts Hanford Insider, a news show with 172 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

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  Episode #7

  Hanford Insider: KRH Calico, Links for Life, High School Football Preview

  Aug 16, 202618 minS4

  Send me a text and give me feedback on this episode! Data centers, local control, and real-world community impact are colliding in Hanford, and we dig into what’s happening right now. We start with the Hanford City Council’s upcoming meeting, including a Measure H revenue and expenditures report and an update tied to land use regulations for data center facilities. We also share the City of Hanford’s public stance on proposed data centers and why review, participation, environmental analysis, and enforceable protections are central to the conversation for residents across Kings County. From there, we shift into the week’s community calendar, with quick hits you can actually use: a beginner Dungeons and Dragons class at the Hanford Branch Library temporary site, the Thursday Night Marketplace country night, and other local gatherings that keep Hanford connected. We also highlight the November city election matchups, a major State Route 41 groundbreaking, and a look ahead to the 50th annual Kings River Hardwick Calico Arts Festival, including the call for photos to help tell the story from the very beginning. The feature interview is a preview of the Links for Life Pink Passion Picnic with Kathy Mittleider. We talk about what’s new, including expanded breast cancer diagnostic services such as MRI access, plus support for people going through treatment with wigs, compression sleeves, and head coverings. You’ll also hear what to expect at the event, from a genetics-focused speaker to crowd-favorite entertainment, and how ticket sales and fundraising directly support local services. We close with the Hanford Insider Sports Report: the Babe Ruth 16U All-Stars’ World Series run, plus a clear-eyed high school football preview for Hanford West, Sierra Pacific, and Hanford High as the season kicks off. Subscribe, share this with a neighbor, and leave a review so more people can find the community news and local sports coverage they’ve been missing. You can find the Hanford Insider at www.hanfordinsider.com and on social media at @hanfordinsider Thank you for supporting the show!

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  Episode #6

  Hanford City Council Wrap Up in Minutes Aug 10, 2026

  Aug 10, 20265 minS4

  Send me a text and give me feedback on this episode! A single City Council meeting can quietly steer the next 25 years of growth, safety, and Vice Mayor Nancy Howze breaks down the August 4th Hanford City Council Meeting. We start with a big-picture item that affects everyday life: the Kings County Association of Governments (KCAG) update to the Regional Transportation Plan and Sustainable Communities Strategy, a required roadmap for 2026 through 2049 that helps keep our local agencies eligible for state and federal transportation funding. We talk through the four growth scenarios KCAG is studying and what they are designed to do: reduce vehicle miles traveled and greenhouse gas emissions through coordinated land use and transportation investment. The standout news is that all four scenarios meet the state’s greenhouse gas reduction goals by 2035, and the draft plan is open for public review through September 5 at 5 p.m., so residents still have time to shape the direction. Then we shift to local actions with immediate on-the-ground impact, including a public hearing on the Copper Ridge Development and a vote to amend the annexation boundary by removing 58.24 acres. We also share results from the drone-enforced It’s Not Worth It illegal fireworks campaign: what we saw, how many calls and fires we responded to, how citations were issued, and why the council voted to continue the program next year. We close with the triumphant return of Freedom Fest and the live fireworks show, plus the vote to move forward with planning for Freedom Fest 2027. If you want clear context without the jargon, press play, then subscribe, share this with a neighbor, and leave a review so more Hanford residents can stay informed. You can find the Hanford Insider at www.hanfordinsider.com and on social media at @hanfordinsider Thank you for supporting the show!

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  Episode #5

  Hanford Insider: Hanford Jewelry and Loan, Kings Players, Babe Ruth Stars, High School Fall Sport Preview

  Aug 9, 202627 minS4

  Send me a text and give me feedback on this episode! A pawn shop with two vaults in an old bank building sounds like the start of a crime story, but in downtown Hanford it’s really a story about trust. We sit down with Kirsten Bookout of Hanford Jewelry and Loan to talk about what it takes to keep a local jewelry store thriving for 65 years and why “pawn” often means something far more practical than people assume. We get into the real day-to-day: how the business grew from watchmaking roots, why the shop shifted away from tools and electronics, and what customers are actually looking for right now in pre-owned jewelry and estate pieces. Kirsten shares how they buy gold (and why so many people forget what’s sitting in the back of a closet), plus the small services that online shopping can’t match like fit checks, reassurance, free cleanings for items bought in-store, and help when life doesn’t fit neatly into store hours. We also talk candidly about collateral loans and how a short-term loan against a piece of jewelry can help someone bridge an unexpected bill or stretch to the next paycheck without the stress of asking family. Along the way, we hit the community side of the Hanford Insider: the Thursday night marketplace, the Carnegie Museum of Kings County opening the 1976 Hanford Bicentennial Time Capsule and collecting messages for 2076, a senior wellness workshop, local theater with Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap, and a quick sports report with local baseball and a girls volleyball preview. If you enjoy local business stories, downtown Hanford history, and practical community news you can use, subscribe, share the show with a friend, and leave a review so more Kings County listeners can find us. You can find the Hanford Insider at www.hanfordinsider.com and on social media at @hanfordinsider Thank you for supporting the show!

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  Episode #4

  Hanford Insider: The Tee Box, Time Capsule Contents, Sports Update

  Aug 2, 202624 minS4

  Send me a text and give me feedback on this episode! A small town feels bigger when you know what’s happening and you’ve got somewhere fun to meet up. We start with the civic stuff that impacts real life in Hanford: major City Council changes, three open seats, who has filed for candidacy, and the fast-approaching deadline to throw your hat in the ring. We also preview the week’s public meetings and the kinds of issues that show up there, from reports and hearings to how the city reviews community campaigns and big summer events. Then we roll into a community calendar designed for people who actually want to get out of the house. Heat can change plans quickly this time of year, so we talk through what’s scheduled and what to watch. The most memorable stop is the Carnegie Museum of Kings County, where the 1976 bicentennial time capsule comes back to life through cassette recordings. Hearing a local leader wonder about rising costs, fresh air, and what Hanford will look like decades later is equal parts funny, sobering, and weirdly comforting. The centerpiece is our interview with Marty Keeton, owner of The Tee Box, a new virtual golf simulator bar in downtown Hanford. Marty explains why they chose this location, what it took to get the ABC license, and how they’re building a family-friendly indoor golf experience that works for total beginners and serious players alike. We talk TrackMan technology, interactive games for kids, party options like birthdays and fantasy football draft nights, beer and seltzers on tap, and why bringing your own food is not just allowed, it’s encouraged. We wrap with Hanford sports, including a big youth baseball run and a local player moving up the pro pipeline. Subscribe for more Hanford and Kings County stories, share this with a friend who needs a new weekend plan, and leave a review so more locals can find the show. You can find the Hanford Insider at www.hanfordinsider.com and on social media at @hanfordinsider Thank you for supporting the show!

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  Episode #3

  Hanford City Council Recap In Minutes Pt. II

  Jul 30, 20266 minS4

  Send me a text and give me feedback on this episode! A reballot powered by neighbors. A budget shortfall that changes what gets maintained. A major public safety project that forces a hard conversation about eminent domain. Mayor Mark Kairis returns with part two of a July 21 Hanford City Council meeting recap, breaking down the votes and what they mean for everyday life in Hanford. We start with a bright spot: the City Council recognizes Grid Alternatives of Central Valley for helping Hanford families reduce energy costs through affordable solar energy. The numbers tell the story, from 150 households served to more than $4 million in lifetime energy savings, plus an environmental impact comparable to nearly 2,000 vehicles off the road. If you track clean energy, utility bills, or local climate solutions, this is practical progress you can actually measure. Then we shift into city operations and quality-of-life details that matter to families: council approves the purchase of a self-contained kitchen food concession trailer for the Youth Athletic Complex, also known as the Bob Hill Sports Complex. It is about meeting health department requirements and keeping outdoor cooking safe, legal, and workable for the Hanford Youth Baseball League and the city’s recreation and community services department. The biggest neighborhood storyline centers on landscape assessment districts. Quail Run Estates sees a grassroots petition and reballot succeed, raising the annual assessment to $268 per lot to restore weekly maintenance, close a deficit, and keep a beloved park open. Portofino, however, fails to pass an increase again, meaning services drop to a minimal level focused on safety hazards and basic tree health. We close with the council’s resolution of necessity for 203 East 7th Street, the vacant old Robert Chevrolet site, as Hanford moves toward a new public safety facility to replace an over-50-year-old police station. Subscribe for more Hanford City Council updates, share this recap with a neighbor, and leave a review so more residents can stay informed. What part of these decisions affects your neighborhood most? You can find the Hanford Insider at www.hanfordinsider.com and on social media at @hanfordinsider Thank you for supporting the show!

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